Turnabout
by Professor Muscovite
Summary: One-shot. "anti-lacewood," since it's got the characters but it's not...actually shippy. idk, I wrote it for myself but I thought maybe others would appreciate it. rated T for language and implications.


"My my, Serena, you're encountering Pokémon at a really good clip, aren't you?" The teenage girl, in fact named Serena, stood... _moderately_ patiently as her teacher evaluated her progress. "In fact, ma cherie, it seems you've managed to catch every Pokémon there is to be found in Kalos. I want to give you this to help you reach your goal!"

Professor Sycamore, no more than 35, was generally considered quite attractive with his tousled hair and thin but kind face. Serena's heart fluttered a bit as she took held out her hand for whatever his gift was, enough she was afraid her schoolgirl crush would be obvious in her face.

Rather than simply dropping the small thing into her hand, he placed one of his hands over hers, and the other under, and curled her fingers about it.

"So, if you're holding an Oval Charm, Eggs are discovered at the Pokémon Day Care more easily than normal," he said with a smile and a raised eyebrow.

Serena's grin faltered as she took her hand back. She looked down at the thing she was holding - indeed, it was small, could be attached to a bracelet or a keyring. It was vaguely oval in shape, though it more closely resembled the shape of a common Pidgey egg.

Eyes flicked back up at the Professor, who was watching her with a slight grin. He leaned back lazily against his desk, but his eyes, his eyes didn't seem so lazy, so laid back. So kind.

Taking a step back, Serena pulled her free hand close to her chest, shaking the charm with the other as she asked, voice squeaking, "What - what is this?"

"An Oval Charm, cherie, were you not listening?" His voice was as smooth, as always. Even in Couriway, after all that had happened, it was smooth and inviting and charming.

Serena swallowed. "I, I mean. What is the _meaning_ of this, Professor." He'd given her a Pokémon, a second Starter, when the others hadn't gotten any such treatment.

"It means whatever you'd like it to mean, ma petit chouflour. Especially if you've already gotten your diploma from the board in Coumarine, as your complete 'Dex means you've officially graduated." He leaned more heavily on the arm propping him up, muscles visibly tensing. His head was leaning back, showing off the scruff on his chin and the remarkable jawline.

Serena's eyes returned to the charm in her hands. He wasn't terribly subtle, was he. She had reveled in his favoritism, she enjoyed the extra attention. She had thought she was just the teacher's pet.

With energy and anger she didn't know she had, Serena threw the charm at Professor Sycamore and yelled, "You son of a bitch!"

Both the impact (if small) and the shout startled the Professor. "Ma chere, what's wr-"

"You fucking know what's wrong. You _shit_. You bastard!" Serena was backing up steadily now. "I don't want your damn charm, or your leers, or even your fucking Pokédex." Serena stumbled as she ran into the wall behind her, but kept her balance and ran out of the room.

Serena sat , strangle-hugging a plush Sylveon, on her bed, back home in her room. Back in Vaniville, after everything, back where it began. Where a _certain someone_ invited her into this year's Trainers. Her Pokédex Completion Diplomas leered at her from her dresser. They didn't have any actual eyes. Well, only of the letter-type, but that wasn't the point.

 _You know what?_ _Fuck it._ Serena placed the tear-stained doll back on her bed and slowly, in measured movements, stood up and turned the picture frames on their face, one by one.

She'd like to do more, but even that little would get pointed questions from her mother.

...Though. there was one last thing she could do. Serena went back to the bed and sat down, this time leaving the plush where it was in favor of her Virtual Reality goggles, connecting the other end to a pokeball with an old-school flame insignia - as opposed to Team Flare's, if nothing else.

"Hey, old friend." Both trainer and Charizard felt like they were in a grassy field, though both knew it wasn't physical. Serena reached up to scratch the dragon's nose with a slight grimace. "Tiamat... I think you're wonderful, but I can't- " Her voice caught and she looked away. "You deserved to know this before I do it. But I can't train you anymore. It's too..." Too close to other things, too much of a reminder of the trust she'd placed in her mentor, the way he betrayed everything she thought he stood for to just- _just-_

"I won't be seeing you again." Serena finally looked back up at the dragon and saw the reptilian face that still conveyed shock, confusion, sadness. "I can't handle it. I'm sure you'll go to someone who will love you. I hope you have fond memories of your time here, and I hope you know I'll always love you too. But I just. Can't." She pulled down the dragon's chin and kissed the bridge of Tia's nose, before unplugging herself from the VR. After that, it was only a few buttons before the fire dragon was sent off to parts unknown, traded with a random stranger on the internet. She got a Zubat in return.

Her knuckles grew white as she clenched the ball, cranked back to prepare an impressively hard throw - but slowly, eventually, it cranked itself back down to leave the ball on her headboard. After that it - and the rest of Serena - just kind of flopped down on the bed, barely managing to grab the fake Sylveon again.


End file.
